The waiting game is tough in everyday life, and especially in publishing.
By Jennifer Paulson, Reiner Editorial Consultant
May brought along a lot of wait-and-see moments. We all tapped our toes as we anticipated which shows would go on and which would be canceled or postponed. We paced out anxiety about which phase of pandemic processing we’d reach. We bit our nails as we hoped customers could return to barns and businesses the virus had closed.
If May brought us anything in the end, it was a sense that things were moving again. Some of the inertia had lifted. We had more clarity on what was to come and how we’d get there.
I don’t know about you, but for me, those tense moments and then the flood gates seeming to open meant the month of May and the production cycle of the June Reiner absolutely flew by. We were carried along to a new reality and buoyed by seeing our reining family return to the show pen, which was a huge relief.
Unplugging during a hiatus from showing is something we’ve seen from many NRHA members. It’s essential for your sanity and that of your horse. In the June issue, NRHA Professional Sebastian Petroll recognizes that need in “Bypassing Burnout.” The longtime reining trainer regularly implements “chill time” for his show string and actively works to avoid letting his horses burn out by watching their cues, knowing their skill level, and recognizing when to push and when to pull back.
Especially if you haven’t been able to ride during the show stoppage, you might find that you need to up your fitness effort to be comfortable in the saddle. Especially important are your hips—both in terms of strength and flexibility. Kelly Altschwager, the Reiner’s fitness expert and owner of Western Workouts, offers her best tips to keep you feeling strong in the saddle and more able to effectively cue your horse.
Getting back to the show pen means getting back into your show clothes. While this article doesn’t address gaining the “quarantine 15” (Kelly from Western Workouts could help you with that), it does go into choosing the right pieces to make your photos ones you’re proud to hang in your home and office.
Summer temps are climbing—rapidly! Be sure that your barn is ready with tips from fan manufacturers; NRHA Professional Martin Muehlstatter from hotspot Scottsdale, Arizona; and NRHA Corporate Partner CINCH.
If your mare is still open, don’t completely give up hope. Our In the Breeding Shed topic this month has information to help you understand all your options and how you can still get that 2021 foal, even this late in the season.
Speaking of breeding, everyone who breeds horses does so for different reasons. But the impetus usually falls into one of two categories: to develop your own herd or to sell to the market. Here four NRHA Corporate Partner ranches delve into the goals of their breeding programs and how they choose which horses to breed.
We’d love your feedback on this issue of the Reiner. You can send it to reiner@nrha.com. We’re excited to share the July issue with you as we highlight the return to the show pen and how reiners are getting back into the game.